Mark of support for biodiversity: EuroNatur Award presented to World Biodiversity Council researchers

Radolfzell, Island of Mainau. The researchers who produce expert reports for the World Biodiversity Council IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) have today, 14 October 2021, received the EuroNatur Award. The award, which was accepted on behalf of colleagues and fellow campaigners by Dr Eszter Kelemen (Hungary), Dr Yunne-Jai Shin (France) and Professor Dr Josef Settele (Germany), was presented on Mainau Island. 

In his laudation, EuroNatur President Professor Dr Thomas Potthast began by highlighting the immense impact of the biodiversity crisis. Countless animal and plant species have already been irretrievably lost, many more are on the brink of extinction - and all this because of the reckless way in which people live their lives. “The work of the IPBES scientists enables policy makers to better understand the complex mechanisms involved and to take more effective action against continuing biodiversity loss and habitat destruction. They provide information on the state and the causes of the biodiversity crisis as well as possible future scenarios for a sustainable transformation. Their work is therefore more motivating than ever in terms of our commitment to ensuring a shared future for humans, other living creatures and the biosphere,” said Thomas Potthast.

The role of researchers as communicators in an increasingly complex globalised world was emphasised by Dr Anna-Katharina Wöbse, Vice-President of EuroNatur Foundation. “With your inclusive, transparent, and comprehensible communication of science, you are also countering rampant scientific scepticism and political short-sightedness.” It is also in recognition of this achievement that the EuroNatur Award is being made.

“What makes the work of the World Biodiversity Council so special is the close cooperation with colleagues from all fields of research, from all corners of the world, towards a common goal: to provide policy makers with the information they need to realistically assess developments in biodiversity and ecosystem services and to demonstrate their role and their responsibility in the past and in the future. This work is hugely important in providing a scientific basis for addressing the biodiversity crisis. We need to be aware that the loss of any species is potentially damaging to the future for us humans. The fact that this civic engagement is being honoured with the EuroNatur Award is a mark of huge appreciation for all those involved,” said Professor Dr Josef Settele, speaking on behalf of the recipients of the award.

Background information:

• EuroNatur-Award: Previous prize winners are the community of Mals in South Tyrol, Dr. Mario F. Broggi, Jonathan Franzen, Dr. Luc Hoffmann, Gudrun Steinacker und the „brave women of Kruščica“. The EuroNatur award, which has no prize money, is designed to honour the excellent achievements in nature conservation which unite humanity and nature. The EuroNatur award 2021 was being awarded at 17.00 on Thursday 14^th October on the island of Mainau on Lake Constance.
• The IBPES: The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, founded in 2012, is a cross-national committee of the UN with its headquarters in Bonn. It has the remit to give scientific advice to policy makers on the themes of biological diversity and the performance of ecosystems. For this purpose, the member states of the IBPES nominate experts to produce reports.

For further information: Anja Arning, Mail: anja.arning(at)euronatur.org, Tel.: +49 (0)7732 – 92 72 13